Clean Skin is In! 7 Step Guide: How To Wash Your Face

Alifiyah Bhaijee

How hard can it actually be???

Washing your face? How hard can it actually be??? Well let me tell you, washing your face the wrong way can do more harm to your skin. In fact, it's really simple. Stick to these seven steps like they are the rules of life and your skin will stay happy as a clam!

How To Wash Your Face

Step 1

Wash your hands first. This is an absolute must. When you wash your face with unclean hands, you are pushing all that dirt and grime around your face. And we can’t often see it, but we carry tons of hidden germs, dirt and bacteria on our hands. Even worse, you push that dirt and grime further into your pores (yuck!). If you aren’t convinced yet, think about it this way. If you wipe a table with a dirty rag, are you still cleaning it? The same idea work with washing your face with dirty hands.

Step 2

Remove your makeup, people! If you don’t take your makeup off, you are just moving all the makeup around your face and into a few unassuming pores (double yuck). So no matter what, get off as much makeup as you can.

Now some great cleansers take off all your makeup, but if you do use a gentler formula you need to remove your makeup before with a makeup wipe. But….I know I’ve said it before but makeup wipes are not enough to clean your face and call it a night. A makeup wipe doesn’t mean you can skip washing your face. Because just know that wipes get off roughly 80% of our makeup and the other 20% comes from cleansing our face.

Step 4

This is the best part….you have to wait! You need to give your cleanser time to work. Think of this as your mini spa break. Your time away from the kids, work and all the stress. Don’t forget, technique matters too. Rather than scrubbing vigorously, spend the 10 seconds gently massaging your face in circular motions. This stimulates your lymphatic system, which encourages oxygen and blood circulation. As an added pro tip, make sure not to neglect your neck! The neck is often the first to start aging because we don’t often give it the love we give to our faces. When your time is up, rinse off your cleanser.

Step 5

Since the skin on your face is so delicate and prone to sensitivities, make sure to give your face a little extra TLC and pat it dry with a soft towel. You don’t even have to make sure that it is completely dry. It’s okay to leave a thin layer of moisture on your skin, since the products you apply next will seal this water in. However, it is not okay to grab any old towel you can find. The towels you use to dry your hair and body after a shower often carry pore-clogging residue from your shower products on them. Make it a habit to use a fresh towel each day and you’ll avoid spreading problem-causing germs and bacteria.

Step 6

I’ve often wondered how long I need to wait before applying my skincare. Here is what I’ve found. Skincare products should be applied no less than one minute after gently patting your skin dry. The moment your skin starts to feel tight and dry, you’ve officially waited too long to apply your products. This happens so quickly that we don’t even realize it but every second your skin is left bare, dry air is pulling moisture right out of it. To avoid an unnecessary dehydration, apply the first layer of your skincare regimen within one minute of drying off.

Step 7

It’s the skin advice you never stop hearing: Wash your face morning and night. And no matter what you hear or read, you should always wash your face. The usual protest against this time-honored guidance is that in the mornings, your skin is still clean from the night before. But that’s not always true. When you are blissfully getting your beauty sleep, your skin cells are hard at work, which means they’re secreting toxins and sebum. So it is essential to wash your face in the morning to remove all that debris and ensure better performance from your daytime products.

Easy as 1,2,3...4,5,6,7

There you have it, my friends! A seven-step by step guide on how to wash your face. Make sure to stick to this routine every day, twice a day. Your skin will appreciate the TLC. In the comments below, share with us your favorite products, questions and comments!